The rise of the 'sparden': Londoners choose mini spa retreats over greenery in city gardens
While most Londoners don't have that sort of money, Selman believes the spa garden trend reflects the way millennials, in particular, are making health and wellness a priority. Garden designer Jo Thompson has also noticed a rise in the number of clients asking for spa-type features to be integrated into landscaping. 'More and more, we're being asked to include wellness areas, specifically saunas and plunge pools,' she says, although the challenge is making sure they feel part of the garden rather than just 'dropped in'. In one Hampstead project, Thompson created 'a heavily planted winding path up to a secret little oasis with sauna and pool that from the outside looked like another garden area,' she says.
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Metro
3 days ago
- Metro
Map reveals the most up-and-coming sex positions in major UK cities
If your arsenal of sex positions is limited to missionary, doggy style and cowgirl, it might be time to spice it up. And for a little inspiration, why not look to the up-and-coming sex position people in your city are most excited to try? Lloyd's Pharmacy recently shared data on the positions becoming more and more popular in each location – and as well as putting this into map form, we've also got step-by-step guides to put them into action. While Scottish cities are searching for 'the crab', England leans towards the likes of 'the bridge' and 'the ballet dancer', and Northern Ireland is all about 'the cross'. Keen to know what your neighbours are up to between the sheets? Read on… Kicking things off with the capital, Londoners are building themselves up to try 'the bridge' position, which has seen a 585% increase in searches over the past year. It's equally popular in Birmingham, Nottingham, Southampton, and Bristol, where interest has gone up by 417%, 400%, 350%, and 317% respectively. Love reading juicy stories like this? Need some tips for how to spice things up in the bedroom? Sign up to The Hook-Up and we'll slide into your inbox every week with all the latest sex and dating stories from Metro. We can't wait for you to join us! A word of warning though, this one is not for the weak. Think of the bridge pose in yoga – where you lie flat on your back with your knees bent, arching your back and lifting your bottom so only your shoulders and feet touch the floor. This is the position the receiver should take, with the penetrating partner kneeling between their legs and going for it, while supporting the other's hips. It's a great way to work on your core strength and get your orgasm – especially if you like deep penetration. If you're in a bit of a pinch when it comes to sexy inspiration, look no further than 'the crab'. Searches for this position have increased by 300% in Glasgow, with its neighbour Edinburgh also seeing a 200% rise. However, the only English city that was nearly as keen to walk side-to-side was Liverpool, with searches for the position going up by 100%. The crab is a pleasurable twist on cowgirl — but it comes with a side of potential injury unless you're careful. Because of the way you're bending your bodies, this position requires a good deal of 'penile flexibility'. It's also vital not to make any sharp, sudden movements. To get into place, the penetrating partner lies down on their back. Easy. The receiver gets on top and inserts the penis or dildo inside themselves, before slowly leaning back and supporting themselves by extending both arms behind them. Alternatively, the person on top can rest their hands on the bed or on their partner's knees, or for extra support get them to bend their knees as a sort of back rest. Then, simply grind or thrust as desired. In Newcastle there's been a whopping 600% increase in searches for 'the ballet dancer' sex position. And Cardiff is also giving it a whirl. Now, as its name would suggest, it requires some balance. The receiving partner should be stood up with their back against the wall for support, while the penetrating partner stands in front of them. Then, the receiver should raise one leg (either is fine) and hook it as high as possible around their partner, ideally around their lower back region. The penetrating partner can hold the hooked leg to help support their partner while they thrust. But if there's a big height difference between the two of you, you might want to do this one on your tiptoes. There was only one city where 'the butterfly' sex position was top, and that's Norwich – which is also where the most people are looking to get divorced, so make of that what you will. It's easy enough to do. The receiving partner lays on their back at the edge of the bed, while the penetrating partner stands in front of them on the floor. The receiving partner's legs then rest on the penetrating partner's shoulders, while they thrust. Simple. Brighton and Reading are more inclined for the 'edge of bed' position, with search increasing by 300% and 500% respectively. This is similar to the butterfly, only instead of the receiving partner having their legs resting on the penetrating partner's shoulders, they're dangling off the bed. 'The reason this is a great position is it's really adaptable for people of different heights, plus it's great for deep penetration,' certified sex and relationships psychotherapist Gigi Engle, for tells Metro. 'It's also a great lazy girl position, plus you can easily use sex toys while having penetrative sex.' 'The G-wiz' (aka the G-whiz or G-whizz) is hitting the spot for Manchester residents right now, as searches for the position increased by 300% last year. This is also a lot like the butterfly, with the receiver in the exact same position. The difference here is the penetrating partner kneels on the bed (rather than standing to the side of it) and thrusts in that way. As the name suggests, it's especially great for G-spot stimulation, and can be modified to all penis sizes by putting a pillow underneath the receiving partner's bum. Some can find it a little intense though, so it's a good idea to start off gently and build to your preferred depth and speed. If you're partial to a twist on a classic, you'll love this as much as they do in Belfast, where search for 'the cross' sex position increased by 500%. There are two ways to master it – from behind or face-to-face – with each option making your bodies look a bit like an 'X' from above (although neither should be confused with 'the windmill') To get into place for the first variation, the receiving partner should lay on their front on the bed with their legs slightly spread, while the penetrating partner lays at a 45 degree angle to their partner on top, thrusting from behind. For the second the penetrating partner should lay on their back, facing their hips to one side slightly. Meanwhile, the receiver lays at a 90 degree angle to them, raising their legs to allow for entry — and keeping their hands free to wander elsewhere. This is what it says on the tin to be honest. And it's Sheffield that seems to suddenly be extra excited about face sitting, with a 300% search increase. More Trending Gigi explains this is a great position both to achieve female orgasm and also to engage in some light BDSM when it comes to the woman dominating their partner. 'It's important to remember here that you shouldn't fully sit on someone's face, you don't want to suffocate anyone,' she says. 'You should be hovering over their face or sitting back more on their chest but you should communicate during both to see what's the most comfortable.' View More » Sheffielders, take note. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Missing woman 'murdered by ex in central London office block and wheeled out inside bin' MORE: 'Totally overrated' restaurant crowned the best in the UK — as top 100 revealed MORE: Two London Underground lines suspended after points failure
North Wales Live
04-06-2025
- North Wales Live
UK workers skipping lunch as 'too much work to do' costing them £1,000 per year
Hardworking Britons are, in effect, 'giving away' as much as £29 billion in labour every year simply by not taking full advantage of their lunchtime breaks. A study of 2,000 employees holding either full-time or part-time positions has shown that those who do take a break for lunch generally use just 70 per cent of the time they're given, and those who don't take the entire break often skip it altogether twice a week. For someone working full-time, with an average of 233 workdays in a year and the average full-time salary taken into account, this tallies up to an astonishing £1,012 worth of time each person annually misses out on. Almost 50 per cent confess that it's usually too much work that prevents them from stepping away, whilst others feel pressured to get back to work or see no point when there's barely enough time to go anywhere during their break. More than one-third consider their lunchtime pauses 'too brief', reporting an average length of only 39 minutes per day to refresh themselves. In an effort to restore the sanctity of lunch hours for the British public, St Pierre has established a 'respect zone' in London's Potter's Field Park – an ode to the preciousness of the midday interlude, calling upon Londoners to engage in dining 'avec respect'. The special area intended to transport office workers to Paris, inviting them to follow the French example of enjoying unhurried and relaxed mealtimes. A spokesperson from St Pierre remarked: "Lunchbreaks shouldn't be a luxury." They added: "Even though life is busy and work is important, we need to remember to take time out for ourselves to really get that break we need – and go back to work energised, refreshed, and satisfied by a delicious meal we were able to properly savour." A fifth of Brits feel that lunchtime rituals are not given the respect they deserve, particularly when compared to European neighbours such as Spain, Italy, and France who are seen as more appreciative of their midday meals. Yet, even those who manage to set aside time for lunch often end up multitasking with work-related activities like checking emails or answering calls. For those accustomed to working through their lunch hour, over 20 per cent admit it would be difficult to alter this routine even if they had the chance. This admission comes despite 37 per cent acknowledging that regularly skipping lunch breaks can lead to burnout and negatively impact work performance. St. Pierre's spokesperson added: "It's a sad state of affairs that our main break during a long day of work isn't really being treated as one – and that we can't seem to switch off even when given permission. "There's something to be learned from the French here – taking that moment to really unwind and enjoy a delicious meal, without thinking about other things. We're also missing a prime opportunity in our everyday lives to connect with other people over good food and conversation."
Wales Online
04-06-2025
- Wales Online
UK workers skipping lunch as 'too much work to do' costing them £1,000 per year
UK workers skipping lunch as 'too much work to do' costing them £1,000 per year A study of 2,000 adults in full or part-time work found over half of those who do take a lunch break typically only use 70 per cent of their allocated time St Pierre launches 'No Tech Zone' Hardworking Britons are, in effect, 'giving away' as much as £29 billion in labour every year simply by not taking full advantage of their lunchtime breaks. A study of 2,000 employees holding either full-time or part-time positions has shown that those who do take a break for lunch generally use just 70 per cent of the time they're given, and those who don't take the entire break often skip it altogether twice a week. For someone working full-time, with an average of 233 workdays in a year and the average full-time salary taken into account, this tallies up to an astonishing £1,012 worth of time each person annually misses out on. Almost 50 per cent confess that it's usually too much work that prevents them from stepping away, whilst others feel pressured to get back to work or see no point when there's barely enough time to go anywhere during their break. More than one-third consider their lunchtime pauses 'too brief', reporting an average length of only 39 minutes per day to refresh themselves. In an effort to restore the sanctity of lunch hours for the British public, St Pierre has established a 'respect zone' in London's Potter's Field Park – an ode to the preciousness of the midday interlude, calling upon Londoners to engage in dining 'avec respect'. Article continues below St Pierre launched 'The Respect Zone' - a Parisian themed pop-up near Tower Bridge (Image: PinPep ) The special area intended to transport office workers to Paris, inviting them to follow the French example of enjoying unhurried and relaxed mealtimes. A spokesperson from St Pierre remarked: "Lunchbreaks shouldn't be a luxury." They added: "Even though life is busy and work is important, we need to remember to take time out for ourselves to really get that break we need – and go back to work energised, refreshed, and satisfied by a delicious meal we were able to properly savour." A fifth of Brits feel that lunchtime rituals are not given the respect they deserve, particularly when compared to European neighbours such as Spain, Italy, and France who are seen as more appreciative of their midday meals. Some Brits skip their lunch break entirely twice a week (Image: PinPep ) Yet, even those who manage to set aside time for lunch often end up multitasking with work-related activities like checking emails or answering calls. For those accustomed to working through their lunch hour, over 20 per cent admit it would be difficult to alter this routine even if they had the chance. This admission comes despite 37 per cent acknowledging that regularly skipping lunch breaks can lead to burnout and negatively impact work performance. Article continues below St. Pierre's spokesperson added: "It's a sad state of affairs that our main break during a long day of work isn't really being treated as one – and that we can't seem to switch off even when given permission. "There's something to be learned from the French here – taking that moment to really unwind and enjoy a delicious meal, without thinking about other things. We're also missing a prime opportunity in our everyday lives to connect with other people over good food and conversation."
